Urban Jungle: An iguana climbs a tree in the parking lot of Walgreens on NW 7th Avenue and 95th Street in Miami, FL

So, I went to my neighborhood Walgreens last Thursday to get bottled water and other supplies in preparation for Hurricane Erika. As I was trying to pull into the parking lot, a car has stopped, preventing me from exiting NW Seventh Avenue. If you are familiar with NW Seventh Avenue, that's also SR441 and at certain times of the day, seems like the Indianapolis Speedway.

As the car in front of me slowly moved forward, I see what caught the driver's attention. A huge lizard was in the parking lot. My lizard phobia kicked in. I literally clutched my pearls, gasped for air and froze momentarily. Where in the world did that thing come from? As I turned my car around to snap a picture, it had already begun to climb the tree. It looked like and alligator or a dinosaur.

I posted this picture on my Facebook page. Sure enough, a few of my friends think this hideous creature is cute. Go figure. I was most amazed by the number of tales of iguana sightings throughout the County, especially at Florida Memorial University and Miami Dade College North Campus. Apparently, most people don't share my fear of lizards as I understand there are families of them on both campuses and in many backyards. I was even sent a picture by one of my friends at FloMo. 

One of my friends even posted that a man she knows has pet iguanas at his home and even has an album of photographs of them. Really? I guess whatever floats your boat. Iguanas are supposed to be mainly docile herbivores although there were a couple of posts regarding aggressive iguanas. I also think this particular iguana has been eating cats and small dogs; it was fat.

A few folks also posted that iguanas are tasty. Yuck! Gag me with a spoon. Again, whatever floats your boat. There are entirely too many creepy critters in South Florida from the iguanas to snakes, frogs and those lizards with the curled tails that remind one of a scorpion. 

I no longer park near the trees and shrubbery at my Walgreens. I also totally encourage everyone who thinks these critters are tasty to eat away. Just let me know if they taste like chicken.

 #ihatelizards #urbanjungleforreal